Sunday Supper: Chicken En Escabeche With Purple Mashed Potatoes

Editor's note: Each Saturday afternoon we bring you a Sunday Supper recipe. Why on Saturday? So you have time to shop and prepare for tomorrow.

This take on Rick Bayless' stunning chicken en escabeche combines an explosion of flavors with a blast of contrasting color. [Photograph: Jennifer Olvera]

A handful of things in life are perfect - you know, like Rick Bayless' tangy chicken en escabeche in Mexican Everyday. I've made it so many times, and it has never let me down. Tangy and fiery, and good warm or cold, it's a go-to worth keeping in your proverbial back pocket, especially since it's made from ingredients readily on hand.

Because it embodies so much of what I love in a dish—food that's rustic, satisfying and full of flavor—I toyed with it a bit. What I came up with is a bit more refined and company-worthy.

In my experience, chicken thighs, versus the original breasts, are not only more flavorful, but they also create a sauce that's more robust. By combining stovetop searing and an in-oven finish, the chicken skin stays crisp and glistening while the pan juices cook down and impart intense flavor to the carrots, jalapenos and onions. Swapping out a bit of the chicken broth for white wine adds another layer of acidity and added depth.

Served with purple, mashed jalapeno potatoes, this is a dish both easy and appropriate for visitors—and least ones able to handle a tingling tongue.

Note: The chicken can be made ahead and reheated in a 350°F oven for 15 minutes, but add a bit more liquid, as necessary, so the poultry and vegetables don't dry out.

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About the Author

Jennifer Olvera is the author of Food Loversâ Guide to Chicago, and she has all-but tested and developed recipes since toddlehood. She writes the Sunday Supper column for Serious Eats and regularly contributes food features to Chicago Sun-Times. She can often be found tending her garden, canning and traveling to far-flung destinations, where she writes about local edibles for pubs like Los Angeles Times and Frommers.com.